STAFFORD, the county town of Staffordshire, a market-town, municipal and parliamentary borough, and the seat of a l'oor-Law Union, is situated on the left bank of the river Sow, in 52° 45' N. let., 2° 7' W. loug., distant 141 miles N.W. by W. from London by road, and 1321 miles by the London and North-Western railway via Trent Valley. The population of the borough of Stafford iu 1851 was 11,829. The borough is governed by 6 aldermen and 18 councillors, of whom one is mayor, and returns two members to the Imperial Parliament. The living is a rectory in the archdeaconry of Stafford and diocese of Lichfield. Stafford Poor-Law Union contains 20 parishes and townships, with an area of 49,685 acres, and a population in 1851 of 22,632.
According to the 'Saxon Chronicle; Ethelfieda, lady of Mercia,' built a fort at this place in the year 913 to keep the Danes of the neighbourhood in check. There was a castle near it in the middlo ages. In the civil war of Charles I. the Royalists, after the capturo of Lichfield Close by the Parliamentarians, retired to Stafford; and an indecisive battle was fought at Hopton Heath, two or three miles from the town, March 19th, 1643. The town was subsequently taken by the Parliamentarians; at a later period the castle was also taken. The castle, which is a mile and a half S.W. from the town, in Castle Church parish, has been of late years rebuilt. The town is well sup plied with water, and the streets are lighted with gas and paved. The houses are in general well built, mostly of brick, and roofed with slate. Over the river Sow is a neat bridge. The public buildings are
the county hall, a spacious stone building in the market-square; the county jail, and house of correction ; the county infirmary; and the county lunatic asylum, a capacious and well-arranged building. There aro two parochial churches : St Mary's, formerly collegiate, is a large and fine cruciform building, chiefly of early English date, with an octagonal tower at the intersection. The transept is 100 feet long and 25 feet broad. In 1347 this church was repaired and restored at a cost of about 16,0001. The church of St. Chad has a Norman chancel, with an east window of modern date, a modern nave, and a tower between the nave and chancel, of perpendicular character. In the town is a new district church. The Wesleyan Methodists, Baptists, Independents, Quakers, and Roman Catholics have places of worship. King Edward VL's Free Grammar school, founded in 1556, is free to all ; its income for all purposes amounts to 3121. a year ; it had 27 scholars iu 1S54. There are also National, British, and Ragged schools, a savings bank, a library, and a mechanics institute.
Stafford has sent members to Parliament since the 23rd Edward L The assizes, quarter sessions, and a county court are held in the town. The manufacture of shoes, chiefly for the London market or for exportation, employe a considerable number of men. Cutlery is manufactured to a small extent. Tanning is carried on The market is on Saturday; and there are five yearly fairs, chiefly for horses and cattle.